1. Field of the Subject Disclosure
The present subject disclosure relates to electronic devices. In particular, the present subject disclosure relates to remote control of electronic devices using a mobile device.
2. Background of the Subject Disclosure
The electronic world has undoubtedly revolutionized our conceptions and abilities to communicate, educate, and entertain. Starting with the development of transducers and displays, past the subject disclosure of the microprocessor, and arriving at today's microcomputer-driven and network-capable electronics, one may conclude that we are truly immersed in the next generation of electronic interactivity. However, one particular aspect of today's electronics industry still remains stagnant—the remote control. No matter how technologically advanced the display and processing technology might be in the latest flat-screen television, the remote control still remains an archaic control mechanism. The same options, layouts, and standards have existed for decades, and carry with them the same host of yet-unresolved problems. Take for instance the ubiquitous infra-red (IR) remote control. It requires a line of sight to operate, which means that a user must point the remote control at the electronic device for it to work. Even then, sometimes buttons have to be pushed several times to achieve the desired effect. Moreover, each original equipment manufacturer (OEM) has their own remote control layout for their specific device. Considering how many electronic devices the typical living room contains, the several remote controllers for each electronic device each has its own layout, takes up space, and needs batteries. It would be nice to control more devices (such as home appliances) with remote controls, but who wants more remote control devices lying around?
Several subject disclosures in the field attempt to overcome these issues. The most common of these is the universal remote control. However, this approach has its own set of problems. Namely, the traditional programming of the remote control for new devices is a tedious process. Further, batch processing of commands to electronic devices is not properly handled by traditional universal remotes. An IR universal remote that attempts to control a plurality of devices at a time often gets the sequence of signals mixed up, leading to unpredictable or undesired results. BLUETOOTH radio may be used as an alternative to IR. However, BLUETOOTH is costly, and present-day BLUETOOTH devices are expensive, and do not adequately address the concerns involved with controlling multiple electronic devices. They also suffer the same complexities when it comes to programming the remote control for a new electronic device. Finally, certain companies have incorporated remote control software into existing devices such as smartphones and PDAs. However, such network-based remote controls might not work with devices outside a certain proximity. Generally, all present-day technologies have the problem of programming the remote control for new devices, as the operator of the remote control has to do all the work. Consequently, the problem of the learning curve for new devices is never truly resolved, whether it comes to using new remote control devices or programming existing ones for new devices. Moreover, present day technology does not alleviate issues such as finding lost remotes, using the wrong remote for the wrong device, controlling non-traditional devices (such as home appliances, HVAC systems, etc.), and offering permissions of control to different users.
What is therefore needed is a means to control one or more electronic devices using a single remote that does not have to be manually programmed.